asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, in an area previously indicated to him, there are many large houses and farms, the owners of which refuse to take refugees on the ground that these buildings are earmarked for military purposes, although no military occupation has ever taken place; that small cottages in the same area are overcrowded; and whether he will go into this matter and cause the necessary adjustments to be made?

I am grateful to my hon. and gallant Friend for sending me the name of the area he indicates, and if he will be good enough to let me have the addresses of the properties he has in mind I will certainly go into the matter with a view to seeing that full use is made of any accommodation found to be available.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether unaccompanied children who are evacuated to Northern Ireland are entitled to billeting allowances; and, if not, whether, in view of the desirability of encouraging the evacuation of young children, he is prepared to allow payments to be made out of public funds for the purpose;(2) whether any distinction is made in regard to the payment of billeting allowances for accompanied or unaccompanied evacuated children between those who go to Northern Ireland and those who go to Southern Ireland?

The arrangements with the Governments both of Northern Ireland and of Eire provide only for the evacuation of children accompanied by their mothers and there is no distinction in the billeting allowances paid. The decision not to include unaccompanied children under either scheme was taken after due consideration of the responsibilities involved in conveying the children and in caring for them when they would be out of reach of their parents. In view of these considerations I think it would be better not to re-open the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will issue a leaflet giving detailed advice as to the functioning of rest centres in the light of practical experience, giving definite guidance on such points as whether teachers ought to be seconded to public assistance departments for the purpose of running these centres, as is done in London, or whether voluntary assistance ought to be relied upon?

The circumstances and needs of each area vary so widely that I do not consider that a leaflet such as my

asked the Home Secretary, with reference to Home Security Circulars No. 36/1941 and No. 87/1941, whether payment by a local authority of the additional 5s. per week, authorised by the former circular, to drivers of motor-lorries in the rescue-party service will rank for grant up to the date of the latter circular, notwithstanding that the rate of 70s. per week prescribed therein is exceeded; and whether he will authorise local authorities, where the current rate of wages for motor-lorry drivers in their districts exceeds 70s. per week, to pay to drivers in the rescue-party service the current rate, or 75s. per week, whichever be the less?

The earlier Circular of the 10th February, 1941, authorised a general increase of pay for whole-time civil defence volunteers, and the later Circular of 9th April was issued to remove doubts whether certain lorry-drivers who, prior to the issue of the earlier circular, had been paid 65s. per week would thereafter be entitled to receive 70s.; the last part of the Question does not, therefore, appear to arise.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the difficulty caused to the depleted staffs of local authorities by the detailed returns of air-raid precautions expenditure required by his Department notwithstanding that all relevant figures have been examined by the district auditors appointed by the Ministry of Health; and whether he will take steps to eliminate unnecessary detail?

The services in respect of which grant may be claimed are very numerous and the conditions under which grant may be paid vary according to the nature of the service. The claims have, before final settlement, to be certified by the district auditor and it is essential, if that officer is properly to carry out his examination, that the expenditure on which reimbursement or grant is claimed shall be classified in a uniform manner and that there shall be set out such information as will enable him and the Department to determine whether the conditions attached to the original sanctions have been met. In these circumstances it is inevitable that the forms used should involve a considerable amount of detail, which may cause difficulty where the staff of a local authority has been much depleted. The possibility of simplifying forms of claim for grant under the Air Raid Precautions Act is constantly borne in mind, and it is the practice of the Department to consult representative financial officers of local authorities in this connection.

asked the Home Secretary when Mr. Thomas P. Hosey, who is detained under Regulation i8b and who appeared before the Advisory Committee more than six months ago, will receive a decision with regard to his appeal against detention?

I have decided to suspend the detention order in this case and instructions have been given for Mr. Hosey's release accordingly.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the possibility of prolonged or intermittent spells of dry weather during the summer months, he is taking steps, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Security and the authorities concerned, to safeguard the water resources of the country in the interests of both national health and security, by insisting on the necessary conservation before it is too late?

Water authorities are fully aware of the great importance of Conservation of supplies. Their attention has been drawn specially to this matter. I have pointed out to them that in present circumstances, when it is not possible to estimate demands with the accuracy which is usual, it is more than ever necessary to avoid depletion of sup- plies by pumping more than is required, or by unduly drawing down impounded reserves.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information as to the number of lambs destroyed recently by foxes; and what steps have been taken by the hunts to deal with this matter?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. In reply to the second part of the Question, the Masters of Foxhounds Association has impressed on its members the importance of drastic measures being continued to reduce the number of foxes, and that the killing of foxes must be the sole object of any hunting.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether arrangements have been made to enable householders to draw any, and if so, how much extra milk when soldiers come home on seven days' leave?

Dairymen have been instructed that additional milk may be supplied to households containing members of His Majesty's Forces home on leave up to a maximum of 2½ pints per head per week.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether the announcement of the Minister at Colwyn Bay, on 7th May, to the effect that food profiteers were being watched, and that this statement was a final warning, was made because of the recent investigation and report of the North Midland Regional Food Investigation Committee, which showed that profiteering was rife; and whether a series of comprehensive measures will now be introduced to end profiteering in foodstuffs, and to stop the gaps that have existed for so long?

The answer to the first part of my hon. and gallant Friend's Question is in the negative. I cannot accept my hon. Friend's interpretation of the recent Press announcement issued by the North Midland Committee.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an estimate if actual figures are not available, of the number of people in England and Wales who have to make use of artificial teeth?

I regret that I have not sufficient information to enable me to make an estimate of the number of such persons.

asked the Minister or Health where the cases of smallpox notified in 1939 and 1940 occurred; and whether they have been vaccinated?

The 1939 smallpox case was notified in the Liverpool port health district and the one in 1940 in the port health district of Southampton. The Southampton case was vaccinated in hospital after the appearance of the rash. Information as to the vaccination of the Liverpool case is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will protect the men in reserved occupations with an order as binding as a calling-up order issued for service in the Defence Forces and provide them with the same privileges of declaring themselves as conscientious objectors to military service and its support?

There is already power to give specific directions to men to take up work of national importance, and this power is exercised in appropriate cases. I do not consider it necessary or desirable to give such directions to all men in reserved occupations. I do not know what the last part of the Question means precisely, but I may point out that all the men referred to have been, or shortly will be, registered under the Armed Forces Act, and when they register the provisions with regard to conscientious objection apply.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any Income Tax allowance is granted to persons bombed out of their homes in respect of extra travelling expenses to and from their employment?

No, Sir.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what regular date each month the monthly return of shipping losses will in future be made public?

It is the present intention that this return should be made public about the middle of the month. My hon. Friend will appreciate that events may sometimes make it impossible to adhere to any regular date. As regards the policy governing the publication of shipping losses I would refer him to the reply given on 13th May by the Prime Minister to the hon. and gallant Member for Lewes (Rear-Admiral Beamish).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he is aware that, on Tuesday, 13th May, a number of persons were compelled to stand in a queue for a Green Line coach to London, in the centre of St. Albans, from 9 a.m. to 9.45 a.m.; that after boarding a coach they had to stand for over an hour travelling to London; that this is not an uncommon experience; and will he take steps, with the London Passenger Transport Board, to alter this?

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a pensioner, re-enlisted before mobilisation to assist with the training of the Militia and the Territorial Army, who declined in December, 1939, at seven days' notice to undertake further liabilities, is entitled, when permitted to live out of barracks, to receive, subject to a deduction of 1s. 8d. per day from his pay, a standard ration as defined in the Allowance Regulations, 1938, paragraph 29; and whether he will direct that such pensioners shall be permitted to draw personal rations, including cash allowance, on the same scale as other personnel living out of barracks?

Re-enlisted pensioners living out of barracks and receiving the special inclusive rates of pay to which I referred in the answer given to my hon. Friend on 1st May are not entitled to receive rations in kind. They are in effect in the same position as soldiers on the lodging list, who are expected to provide themselves with food under civilian rationing rules, except that, whereas the latter receive ration allowance in addition to pay at normal rates, pensioners re-enlisted before mobilisation already receive a special rate of pay which is designed to cover the cost of food.

asked the Secretary for Petroleum the weights of paraffin wax and scale shipped from this country to Eire in the last six months?

I regret that I am not able to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 8th May.

asked the Secretary for Petroleum whether he is satisfied that the present supplies of petrol in this country are sufficient, under all circumstances, to carry us through the next 12 months?

My hon. Friend may be assured that all measures are being taken for the continued supplies of the essential needs of the country.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware of the refusal of the Paper Control to control the supply of paper to newspapers and periodicals in such a way as to give a reasonable preference to those publishing scientific and educational matter and important news, as opposed to those which cannot be held to provide anything more than diversion and entertainment; and whether he will investigate this matter with a view to ensuring a better use of the available paper supplies?

The limited supplies of paper available are allocated among the various existing newspapers and periodicals, according to their previous usage, and it is not for me to judge the comparative merits of their contents.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of certain undesirable associations of the word "Imperial," he will consider with the Prime Ministers of the Dominions and the Government of India, the use of the word "Commonwealth" in all references to co-operative activity between those States and ourselves?

The word "Imperial" and the word "Commonwealth" have both of them time-honoured associations in the minds of His Majesty's subjects. Some prefer the one and some the other, and like a great many British conventions they are not too rigidly or precisely or even logically applied. The roots of these ideas go far back into our history, which is the common inheritance of all subjects of the King-Emperor and members of the British Commonwealth of Nations, and this is no time to institute pedantic divisions about nomenclature.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the severance of the work and functions of the Ministry of National Service from the Ministry of Labour?

No, Sir. The matters dealt with by this Ministry are closely interconnected and I am advised that any attempted severance would cause administrative difficulties and loss of efficiency.

asked the Minister of Information whether he is aware that, despite repeated representations to the censorship in Northern Ireland, the Lenten Pastoral of His Eminence Cardinal MacRory, Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, for transmission to the parts of his diocese in Louth and Meath, was held up from 19th February until 3rd March last, when it was released without any explanation by the censor; that this delay caused inconvenience to his clergy and parishioners, as it is the custom to have the Lenten Pastoral read on the first Sunday of Lent, 23rd February, and that his clergy in Eire did not thus have the document for the second Sunday of Lent, 2nd March; and as such treatment is not consistent with the declaration of Lord Halifax, on 25th March, on the Government's war aims, and is likely to be used abroad to discredit Britain's war aims, will he see that an explanation and apology be sent at once to His Eminence?

In view of certain statements contained in the Pastoral, the censorship officer in charge at Belfast, on receipt of the document, referred it to censorship headquarters in London. I consider his action to have been quite correct. A decision in the matter was given in London on the same day that the Pastoral was received, and the delay which unfortunately occurred was due to the slowness of communications from and to Belfast.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action the agricultural executive committees in Scotland are taking to repair damage caused to agricultural land by enemy action; and whether he is satisfied that the committees have sufficient powers to deal with such damage?

Agricultural Executive Committees are not empowered by statute to undertake the repair of damage caused to agricultural land by enemy action; but I welcome any assistance which they can properly give in order to secure continued production I am glad to say that one committee has been able to give valuable assistance of this kind by getting emergency work done. I am exploring the possibility of giving further encouragement in this direction.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of convictions for breaches of the peace in Scotland for each of the last three years; the corresponding figures for Greenock, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen; and the corresponding figures for each of the months of January, February and March 1941, and the corresponding months of 1938, 1939 and 1940, respectively?

The following tables set out the information desired so far as it is available.1. Numbers of convictions for breach of the peace, including disorderly conduct and petty assault in Scotland in the years 1938 to 1940 and the corresponding numbers for Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Greenock.